00000266.htm

Roger and the Second Crusade 229

thus advocated by Geoffrey. But Louis rejected
so disgraceful a perversion of his vows, and in
mid-October the French host crossed the Bospho-
rus. On the Asian shore they were provided with
provisions and guides, taking in return an oath to
restore every town or fortress, formerly belonging
to the Empire, which they should conquer, and to
do homage for all other conquests.

The Greek state was thus saved from deadly
peril; the Basileus is said to have counted 900,000
Germans alone at the crossing of the straits;
incredible as this is, the swarms of Crusaders,
warlike, fanatical, and lawless, who streamed away
into Asia Minor were sufficient in numbers alone
to cast into the shade the standing armies of
Byzantium.

Once he had seen the Crusaders depart, Manuel,
a brave and knightly man, turned to face Roger,
who in spite of his hopes found himself alone
against the Byzantine, Roger's great hope had
thus been frustrated. Nevertheless, his Admiral
had struck already some rapid and successful
strokes upon the Empire; the Antiochene, so far
from withdrawing his fleet, directed a grand coup
de main upon Corinth, Sailing into the harbour
he landed an army which sacked Thebes before
the merchants could get away with their treasures,
it was a pure piece of piracy in which George
of Antioch showed himself, according to a Greek
historian of the event, both insatiable and inex-
orable, The booty was great, for Thebes was the



	Roger and the Second Crusade 229 thus advocated by Geoffrey. But Louis rejected so disgraceful a perversion of his vows, and in mid-October the French host crossed the Bospho- rus. On the Asian shore they were provided with provisions and guides, taking in return an oath to restore every town or fortress, formerly belonging to the Empire, which they should conquer, and to do homage for all other conquests. The Greek state was thus saved from deadly peril; the Basileus is said to have counted 900,000 Germans alone at the crossing of the straits; incredible as this is, the swarms of Crusaders, warlike, fanatical, and lawless, who streamed away into Asia Minor were sufficient in numbers alone to cast into the shade the standing armies of Byzantium. Once he had seen the Crusaders depart, Manuel, a brave and knightly man, turned to face Roger, who in spite of his hopes found himself alone against the Byzantine, Roger's great hope had thus been frustrated. Nevertheless, his Admiral had struck already some rapid and successful strokes upon the Empire; the Antiochene, so far from withdrawing his fleet, directed a grand coup de main upon Corinth, Sailing into the harbour he landed an army which sacked Thebes before the merchants could get away with their treasures, it was a pure piece of piracy in which George of Antioch showed himself, according to a Greek historian of the event, both insatiable and inex- orable, The booty was great, for Thebes was the